‘The city is going to shine’

ALTON — As part of his plan to upgrade city parks, Mayor Brant Walker on Friday walked a once-troubled park with the son of its namesake and others to inspect the facility.

“I read in The Telegraph that the city is getting money for parks and recreation,” said Oneida Holman, 86, of Alton who plants flowers in James H. Killion Park at Salu with Mary Hyndman. “Work should be done here, and it’s not been done. When people plant flowers, it needs to be kept up. We need to know if it is going to be maintained.”

Holman called Walker’s office and asked him to tour the park, at Salu Street and Washington Avenue. In the past, it was plagued with violence and drug activity that scared off families. Some graffiti still defaces the old brick building that is used for storage, its restrooms closed.

“A lot of in-town parks have been kicked to the side over the years,” Walker said. “What we have to do is prioritize, we are going to have a tight budget. If you want a better future, build it. The city is going to shine.”

James H. Killion III, 69, of St. Louis, community activist Abe Lee Barham Jr., 48, who spearheaded the project to install a bench with the elder Killion’s photograph and biography, and Bob Barnhart, Alton public works director and interim park and recreation director, also attended the frigid, windy morning walk along that lasted a half hour.

“I am committed to quality of life issues, and parks are some quality of life issues,” Walker said. “You are going to see a lot of maintenance going on in our parks.”

Barhart agreed.

“You will see tighter maintenance in every park in this town,” he said. “There is no reason they won’t be maintained.”

Barham started large, telling Walker that the park needs another picnic pavilion at opposite end of the current shelter, if funds allow. Walker said he doubted if the city could afford a pavilion at this time, which could run $5,000 to $15,000.

Barham also questioned why a chain link fence runs along the north edge of the park. Barnhart said perhaps there could be some cuts made in the fence so visitors do not have to walk the length to enter the park.

“The restrooms have been locked up for many, many years, but the stage (patio) is used for events, like Juneteenth” observance, Holman also said.

Killion agreed.

“When you have a community event, you hope to draw people of all ages,” who may need to use a restroom but do not live nearby.

“Every time we repair the bathrooms, they tear them up again,” Walker said.

Barnhart said it might be possible to get the restrooms in working order and only have them open during the daytime or during events.

Holman also requested the city provide mulch for the women’s plantings.

Killion said he is planning another of the every-two-year Alton reunions at the park during Labor Day weekend.

“But, we need electricity to facilitate that,” he said.

Assurances were it wouldn’t be an issue.

“I wouldn’t take much to run conduit,” Barnhart said.

Both he and Walker said the city could repair the basketball courts and better clean up the grounds.

The group discussed freshening up the bench that memorializes James H. Killion Jr., who died Feb. 11, 1997 at age 78. Moisture has gotten behind the protective plastic cover the past seven years, causing the display to deteriorate.

Killion’s son said he would like someday to install a more permanent bench, possibly of metal, to be further inside the park with his father’s photo and perhaps an abbreviated biography. He said the community has supported the park better since it was renamed after his father, and the bench was installed.

Killion served in the U.S. Army during World War II, was a Sunday School teacher, Boy Scout leader and served as a mentor to youths. He served on the former Alton Human Relations Commission, was an Alton Democratic Precinct Committeeman and was on the Red Cross Board of Directors, among other community service.

“You couldn’t find a more dedicated person than James Harrison Killion Jr.,” Holman said. “He served his country, loved youth and the community. He taught them how to be good human beings. When you can speak personally, I was there and saw how he taught adults and youth in Sunday School.”

After the walk, Holman said she was pleased Walker took the time to look at the park.

“He has good ideas, he’s willing to take a look and now he knows what’s going on,” she said.

Linda N. Weller may be reached at 618-463-2559 or on Twitter @Linda_Weller.